Demens Chosen [PL: Into the Abyss - CLOSED]

[Swith Witherward]

Oh noeees. NA, you has 8 points in SS&T.


I looked through the IC. I don't believe I owe any posts. If I do, please TG or post the link/s here.

[Holy Lykos]

Oh noeees. NA, you has 8 points in SS&T.


I looked through the IC. I don't believe I owe any posts. If I do, please TG or post the link/s here.

How did I miss that? XD

[Northwest Slobovia]

Oh noeees. NA, you has 8 points in SS&T.


I looked through the IC. I don't believe I owe any posts. If I do, please TG or post the link/s here.

How did I miss that? XD

*offers ninth point*

[Northwest Slobovia]

The problem with trying to be futuristic:

[Amanda] put the coins away, then started another app. It showed her picture, name, and a big QR code, and a bunch of writing in a very small font. "In Ascalon, your phone is your life. The QR code connects to the city's databases; that's what people really want to see. So, this is my city and UGA ID, it gets me into the Professional School Tower, and is my driver's license, law license, gun license, and a couple of other things."

is that the future is already in beta:

Maryland has launched its pilot program for a phone-based digital driver's license.

The state's transportation department said in a statement Thursday that volunteers are working with various institutions and businesses to test out the IDs.

The state said the app will serve as a secure companion to physical IDs. They're also more private. Digital driver's license holders only have to display the information required in a particular situation.

[Cerillium]

Theme: action, peril, humor, xenology
Participants: Nivea, Meps, Ocho, ?
Kick-off: next weekend
Posting Requirements: every three days or so.
Skill Level: Intermediate to advanced, though beginners can join provided they pay attention to the following: You'll need to read posts for content; They won't be novel-length, no worry there. You'll need to think through your actions before you post. Pay attention to what other players have posted before you. Characters can die in my stories, mostly from players doing foolish things and not paying attention to detail. We'll most likely play in rounds, as it's action-based.

Setting: N'thalnath, the primordial Thade homeworld (post reconstruction) - the place in the galaxy for somewhat free priestly brew and abundant food. (And quite possibly ingredients that can be used for potions.)

Bear in mind that Thade, though hulking in PL, are some of the smallest lifeforms on their planet, no more than rodents in the tall grass. This means that humans and other creatures are even smaller - in a setting where the predators can easily run you down and swallow you in a single gulp.

Magic is wonky, the Force can overwhelm even the most restrained Jedi, and psionics/enchantments/swaying the mind will have zero effect on the indigenous creatures. Save the bullets - it's like smacking a rhino with a sloppy spit ball. It's wits that will win the day. Keep them about you.

Oh, and do remember to bring umbrellas.

Who wants in?

[Holy Lykos]

(Image)

Theme: action, peril, humor, xenology
Participants: Nivea, Meps, Ocho, ?
Kick-off: next weekend
Posting Requirements: every three days or so.
Skill Level: Intermediate to advanced, though beginners can join provided they pay attention to the following: You'll need to read posts for content; They won't be novel-length, no worry there. You'll need to think through your actions before you post. Pay attention to what other players have posted before you. Characters can die in my stories, mostly from players doing foolish things and not paying attention to detail. We'll most likely play in rounds, as it's action-based.

(Image)

Setting: N'thalnath, the primordial Thade homeworld (post reconstruction) - the place in the galaxy for somewhat free priestly brew and abundant food. (And quite possibly ingredients that can be used for potions.)

Bear in mind that Thade, though hulking in PL, are some of the smallest lifeforms on their planet, no more than rodents in the tall grass. This means that humans and other creatures are even smaller - in a setting where the predators can easily run you down and swallow you in a single gulp.

Magic is wonky, the Force can overwhelm even the most restrained Jedi, and psionics/enchantments/swaying the mind will have zero effect on the indigenous creatures. Save the bullets - it's like smacking a rhino with a sloppy spit ball. It's wits that will win the day. Keep them about you.

Oh, and do remember to bring umbrellas.

Who wants in?

Since you're running it, I'll have Sigtrygg continue along from the last one. After this we could go to his homeland.

[Tiltjuice]

I'm in! I'll let Mathias have some time out from the Base. Calani's turn to do the cleaning

[Mincaldenteans]

add Mez please ^_^

[Swith Witherward]

Yep, I'm using Meps.

Cer... is that banner supposed to be brown, or were you going for reds and greens?

[Holy Lykos]

Does this mean I need to make a banner for my portion too?

[Swith Witherward]

Does this mean I need to make a banner for my portion too?

Yep.

[Primordial Luxa]

(Image)

Theme: action, peril, humor, xenology
Participants: Nivea, Meps, Ocho, ?
Kick-off: next weekend
Posting Requirements: every three days or so.
Skill Level: Intermediate to advanced, though beginners can join provided they pay attention to the following: You'll need to read posts for content; They won't be novel-length, no worry there. You'll need to think through your actions before you post. Pay attention to what other players have posted before you. Characters can die in my stories, mostly from players doing foolish things and not paying attention to detail. We'll most likely play in rounds, as it's action-based.

(Image)

Setting: N'thalnath, the primordial Thade homeworld (post reconstruction) - the place in the galaxy for somewhat free priestly brew and abundant food. (And quite possibly ingredients that can be used for potions.)

Bear in mind that Thade, though hulking in PL, are some of the smallest lifeforms on their planet, no more than rodents in the tall grass. This means that humans and other creatures are even smaller - in a setting where the predators can easily run you down and swallow you in a single gulp.

Magic is wonky, the Force can overwhelm even the most restrained Jedi, and psionics/enchantments/swaying the mind will have zero effect on the indigenous creatures. Save the bullets - it's like smacking a rhino with a sloppy spit ball. It's wits that will win the day. Keep them about you.

Oh, and do remember to bring umbrellas.

Who wants in?

Insidious is still participating.

[Mincaldenteans]

closing current booze run tonight and sending them back home *nods*
will have a post for Avalon also ^_^

[Swith Witherward]

I shoved Cer over so I could work on some TG. I'll let him know to add character names to the list here, and...

CER REVIEW NA'S FRIKKEN APP ALREADY.

*smooths hair* Good grief. There you have it.

Min, no rush. We have a week before we can begin the next segment. Then again, ending now will give characters a chance to assemble, too.

[Northwest Slobovia]

Then again, ending now will give characters a chance to assemble, too.

"AvengersAlcoholics, assemble!"

[Holy Lykos]

I shoved Cer over so I could work on some TG. I'll let him know to add character names to the list here, and...

CER REVIEW NA'S FRIKKEN APP ALREADY.

*smooths hair* Good grief. There you have it.

Min, no rush. We have a week before we can begin the next segment. Then again, ending now will give characters a chance to assemble, too.

Hasn't it been about a half month or something?

[Highfort]

Add OPA to the booze run if you don't mind. Need to flex his mechanical muscles.

[Primordial Luxa]

Gio should I post the beginning of the Hearthswarming exit?

[Giovenith]

Gio should I post the beginning of the Hearthswarming exit?

I'm going to end it today.

[Swith Witherward]

I shoved Cer over so I could work on some TG. I'll let him know to add character names to the list here, and...

CER REVIEW NA'S FRIKKEN APP ALREADY.

*smooths hair* Good grief. There you have it.

Min, no rush. We have a week before we can begin the next segment. Then again, ending now will give characters a chance to assemble, too.

Hasn't it been about a half month or something?

Half century, minimum.



Updated character list:

---

Theme: action, peril, humor, xenology
Participants:

Insidious
Mathias
Meps
Mez
Nivea
Ocho
Opa
Sigtrygg

Kick-off: next weekend

Posting Requirements: every three days or so.

Skill Level: Intermediate to advanced, though beginners can join provided they pay attention to the following: You'll need to read posts for content; They won't be novel-length, no worry there. You'll need to think through your actions before you post. Pay attention to what other players have posted before you. Characters can die in my stories, mostly from players doing foolish things and not paying attention to detail. We'll most likely play in rounds, as it's action-based.

Setting: N'thalnath, the primordial Thade homeworld (post reconstruction) - the place in the galaxy for somewhat free priestly brew and abundant food. (And quite possibly ingredients that can be used for potions.)

Bear in mind that Thade, though hulking in PL, are some of the smallest lifeforms on their planet, no more than rodents in the tall grass. This means that humans and other creatures are even smaller - in a setting where the predators can easily run you down and swallow you in a single gulp.

Magic is wonky, the Force can overwhelm even the most restrained Jedi, and psionics/enchantments/swaying the mind will have zero effect on the indigenous creatures. Save the bullets - it's like smacking a rhino with a sloppy spit ball. It's wits that will win the day. Keep them about you.

Oh, and do remember to bring umbrellas.

---

FFS CER... approve this already! viewtopic.php?p=32178885#p32178885

[Giovenith]

Finally, no more hostages!

HWE, you're all finally free. I'll probably post a small epilogue, but you can all do as you please now.

[Cerillium]

For Cer, since he might not know where this app got to!

I forgot to post this for like a week, but since I'm keeping Etzic around I need to properly app for him now.

#PLAPP

(Image)
PERSONIFICATION LIFE
CHARACTER APPLICATION 2.0

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PLAYER INFORMATION
NS nation nickname: Lykos

Skill Level (beginner, intermediate, advanced): Intermediate

How often can you post? Often enough

CHARACTER PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS
Character First Name: Etzic

Character Surname: Vkayl

Character Title: (now) Shaman of the Whiskerbrew clan

Character Gender: Male

Species : (nation personification, human, alien, etc) Skritar

Age: (must be 18 or older) 19

Appearance: Etzic, like most of the porcupine-like Skritarii has a prehensile, furred tail about as long as he was tail than the rest of him, a very ratlike head with small ears and a long snout with rather rodent-like teeth, and brownish grey fur. It has a slight speckled pattern to it, with patches of white fur over his left eye and down his chest to his heart. The white fur covers his left arm past his elbow and his left leg past his knee, with patches of speckled white over the rest of the two limbs. He has black quills along its head and down its back, much like a porcupine, making up what could be considered his ‘hair’. The quills are small and dense enough they can be styled somewhat like hair, and from a distance looks largely like normal hair. He also has smaller quills along his upper arms facing upward.His eyes are much like a felines, with blue-green sclera, with a lighter green iris and black pupils. Skritarii have dark colored skin under their fur, approaching black. Etzic has a dark ring of fur around his right eye like most of his species. Given the fur pattern on his left side, the ring is absent. He’s short, around the smaller end of the spectrum for a teenage human: 5 feet. He’s fairly scrawny and lean muscled as well.

Like most skritarii, his arms are tattooed in a dark teal. A religious and cultural practice, the patterns are often flowing and geometric. This is accomplished on a furred being by shaving the limb as much as possible, then using a special dye to change the fur color for good. Skritarii are very short furred, so the patterns work well for them.

While he would normally wear more traditional skritarii clothes, his only outfight right now is a neutral huvidu-zani one made for something his size. Bland-colored and simple shirt and shorts, that he’s ripped up to not cover his arms at all. He’s painted patterns onto the white clothes: mystical, flowing lines that radiate and flow towards his heart and up to the tattoo patterns on his shoulders. A specific symbol, three dots in a triangle contained within a circle, is painted over his heart.
URL to Character Picture, if any: Shamanistic

Character Occupation or Specialty: Medic, Shaman(formerly in training)


Character's biggest strength: His size and ancestral magic. Being a short creature he can fit into very small spaces. His clan’s protection charms, talismans, and wards are often naturally strong due to the ancestral deals with their kawa, Alkyn Vaz.


Character's worst flaw: He’s not exactly very mentally stable after the ordeals he went through in his home universe before running into Venla’s team. He likely will need proper therapy and time to recover.


OBJECTIVES AND GOALS
(REMOVE THIS SECTION
Primary Objectives are what drive's your character's actions and their part of the plot. When not engaged in stories, these are what occupy your character's thoughts or keep them busy. Examples include: acting on a desire to become a powerful and respected leader; attempting to overcome some horrible thing in the past which hinders the character on a day-to-day basis; seeking to break out their shell by overcoming profound shyness (getting involved with stories); comping to terms with a major flaw that inhibits the character from reaching full potential; etc.

Minor Goals. These should be an undercurrent for your character when they are engaged in stories or on their free time. They are what your character does to aid them in achieving their Primary Objectives. Examples include: acquiring weapons and becoming proficient with each one; improving sundered relations with a companion; improving their reading comprehension; mastering news spells; researching a cure for a plague; etc.

Objectives such as "making friends" or "finding love" are NOT acceptable. Please put much though into your character's objectives - they are what flesh out your character and one of the most important aspects necessary to portray the character as 3D. REMOVE THIS SECTION)

Primary Objective: Feel safe and stable in life again. This includes not only finding a safe place to live permanently, but to deal with the probably mental issues surviving two different slaughters, including a genocide.

Minor Goals:

• Come into his own as a shaman
• Generally improve skills with technology and medicine.
• Explore the multiverse
• Learn about the Otherworld, and its nature.
• Learn to sew and knit. He always wanted to learn from his mother.
• Find if his family survived the scattering of his clan. Family is immensely important to Skritarii.

MUNDANE SKILLS
(These do NOT require points. These are the average, daily things your character can do. Examples are "drive a car", "speak one Foreign Language", "play a guitar", "write poetry". Some mundane skills come from your bio and are freebie. A soldier has gone through Basic training. However, Medic, martial arts or sniper would be a Specialized Skill or Talent.)

List Mundane skills here

• Speaks Skritaran.
  
• Speaks moderately fluent English.
  
• Can fly a basic spaceship, no larger than a shuttle/transport.
  
• Plays Cal-keni, a skritar woodwind instrument
  
• Is left-handed.
  
• Basic skritarii medicine and cures.
  
• Skritarii gods and religious practices, mysticism
  
• Self-Defensive fighting
  
• Basic sewing skills
  
• The basics of guns. He’s no marksman but knows how to fire a weapon.
  
• Ether connection. Very like force sensitivity, this allows Etzic to at least moderately perceive a parallel universe made of a unique energy connected to his own home universe. It lets him draw a small amount of ether to perform his magic. The Skritarii know this as the Otherworld, and call the energy whisp. Drawing too much can burn out the connection temporarily and lead to his Ether senses dulling. Unlike the force, the Ether does not connect to all life. The Ether is where divinities dwell in his dimension, along with the afterlife for some religions. Etzic cannot directly talk to anything in the Ether, nor travel to it. He simply acts as a conduit for some of the power leaking out of the Ether into his own world. He can pool up energy in preparation, but often unused etheric potential energy will fizzle out.
  

SPECIALIZED SKILLS AND TALENTS
(These are specialized skills that set you apart from the average person. You have 7 points to spend here, no more than 4 points in each skill or talent. Examples are swordsmanship, sniper, coercion, medic, spellcraft, piloting helicopter, manipulate water, etc. You must take a skill pertaining to a supernatural power if you plan to use that power.)

• Ability 1 and Points Spent: Medic training – 1 (Interrupted by his calling to become a shaman, rusty)
  
• Ability 2 and Points Spent: Skritarii Shaman and Religious education – 3
  Kawa-na, the name for the traditional branch of skritarii belief, involves working with intermediary spirits and ancestor worship. The intermediary gods, the kawa, are servants of the Great Ancestor, Kawa-tang. Kawa-tang is considered above directly communicating with mortals, so pacts are made with his children and servants. Each clan has a patron kawa, which is their primary contact to the spirit world along with their many ancestors.
  
  Skritarii shamanism is the result of pacts with the intermediary servant gods, the kawa, of the Great Ancestor. The folk religion of most of the skritarii, with several offshoots including one revering their traditional adversary spirit of Kawa-nand. The latter diabolical cult is followed by much of skritarii pirates, and promotes viciousness, greed, individualism, and aggression. The normal beliefs promote a philosophy of self-defense and non-aggression, focusing on familial ties and good works.
  
  Most of the pact of each clan is an automatic thing. Following the lifestyle set forth by each individual kawa will satisfy the kawa and ensure his continued magical protection, and the success of their shamans. For them, shamans are part teacher, healer, and priest. They often head up the skritarii clans as they grow older.
  
  The kawa of Etzic’s clan, Alkyn Vaz, is specifically a very defensive kawa. His pact with the Whiskerbrew clan involves a very specific moral code. Some of the main tenants are to do no first harm, honor the ancestors and renew the pacts every generation, and while encouraged to not land the first the Whiskerbrew are told to fight like demons when needed.
  
• Ability 3 and Points Spent: Charm crafting 3
  When creating a charm, a skritarii sacrifices a piece of themselves, a quill pulled from their mane or arms. Combined with various organic and mineral materials, a charm can be made. The charm is also made using ancestral deals with the kawa, especially the skritarii patrons, to borrow their knowledge to create such magics.

OPTIONAL SUPERNATURAL CHARACTERISTICS
(You have 7 points to spend here on supernatural skills or abilities, no more than 4 in each. Sonic Scream, Levitation, Shape Shifting etc. Superman MUST have his kryptonite thus weaknesses are things which inhibit the ability. Restrictions are what can't they do with their power or what balances it. They can only use it when they genuinely need it? They can't use it for more then five minutes without serious side-effects? Some things are allowed without points. A pegasus has wings thus it can fly: list wings. A raptor is fast thus no points are spent in speed: list speed and give us its stop speed. These "natural" abilities should be listed here. What isn't allowed: teleportation beyond a few feet; the ability to alter or go back/forward in time. IMPORTANT: You need a knowledge in Specialized Skills and Talents in order to work these abilities. Example: you'll need "manipulate water" to do just that, and this section is where you record what water manipulation abilities the character has.)

• Ability 1: Ether perception
  Power Level: 4
  Strengths: He can either see, smell, or otherwise perceive the full effects of the uses of etheric magic, leaks of ether energy into the world, or other Etheric conduits. With his species’ sensitive sense of smell most often smelling is the way he perceives this magic, or a tingling in the back of his mind. He can often detect just what the use of the magic was, such as etheric magic used to generate fire, water, or wind. He isn’t skilled enough to detect the specifics, just the elements.
  Weaknesses: He is blind to most magic. Anything from other types of gods (chaos, traditional divine magic), eldritch, and many other kinds. Non-magical things that are magic-like he cannot pick up on, like the Force.
  Restrictions: Distance. He cannot detect further away magical exhaust. Strong exhaust from a mile, weak from as short as 5 feet away. Only certain kinds of magic.
  
  
• Ability 2: Fortitude of Vaz
  Power Level: 2
  Strengths: Provides a boost to a person’s strength and endurance, in emulation of the Whiskerbrew kawa Alkyn Vaz. The wearer will gain a measure of strength and endurance relative to the strength of the charm, and usually can last longer and hit harder in combat. This can also be applied outside of battle to lift heavier objects, resist poisoning, exercise longer, or other applications. It only draws upon etheric energy when the user is performing feats outside of their normal range of aptitude.
  Weaknesses: This lasts until the charm breaks or Etzic runs out of etheric energy. The charm draws upon etheric energy from its creator (In this case Etzic) to function.
  Restrictions: Its effects are only applied to the wearer. It must have a skritarii quill imbedded into the charm to work, and the creator must be living. The charm being hit or destroyed will instantly dispel the magic imbued into the charm. The quill put into every skritarii charm will breakdown over time, usually after an hour or two of use. The stronger the spell the faster the breakdown occurs. When the quill breaks, the magic is lost. Most magic users have a level of resistance to etheric magic naturally.
  
  
  
• Ability 3: Skritarii Quill charm
  Power Level: 1
  Strengths: Provides a level natural damage resistance by siphoning away physical and magical damage into the charm. Can protect against a minor level of damage before breaking. If the wearer is agile enough, the charm can recharge over time from Etzic’s reserves of etheric energy. This damage is returned to the attacker as well, in the form of sharp stabs much like being stabbed with porcupine quills.
  Weaknesses: Strong enough attacks will instantly break through. If Etzic’s reserves are on empty, there is no way to recharge and it will break after enough punishment. The damage is returned only half-strength,
  Restrictions: Its effects are only applied to the wearer. It must have a skritarii quill imbedded into the charm to work, and the creator must be living. The charm being hit or destroyed will instantly dispel the magic imbued into the charm. The quill put into every skritarii charm will breakdown over time, usually after an hour or two of use. The stronger the spell the faster the breakdown occurs. When the quill breaks, the magic is lost. Most magic users have a natural level of resistance to etheric magic.
  
  
  
• Ability 4: Redirection Charm
  Power Level: 0
  Strengths: Influences everyone near the charm without magical resistance to look away from the wearer, or to practically ignore their existence. Not a cloak, just suggestive charm designed to make others ignore the wearer’s presence, or believe they are meant to be there.
  Weaknesses (what counters it): Most magic users can see through it, and in fact causes the opposite effect and draws attention.
  Restrictions: Its effects are only applied to the wearer. It must have a skritarii quill imbedded into the charm to work, and the creator must be living. The charm being hit or destroyed will instantly dispel the magic imbued into the charm. The quill put into every skritarii charm will breakdown over time, usually after an hour or two of use. The stronger the spell the faster the breakdown occurs. When the quill breaks, the magic is lost. Most magic users have a level of resistance to etheric magic naturally.

MAGICAL OR SPECIAL ITEMS
(If it's not on this list, your character doesn't have it. Magical items are rare and hard to come by. Please list what they can/can't do - treat them like a supernatural thing. Items not allowed: anything that can alter time; anything that allows a character to teleport beyond a few feet. Magical items have 7 points to spread among all of them. No items may be over 4 in power.)

List:
[*] Charm material bag and ingredients – 2: Various skritarii homeworld plants, wood, stone and paints to make charms. In a bag made from a leathery scaled predator like a crocodile. Materials have no magical properties until put together into a charm, and neither does the bag. Used in religious rituals along with the creation of charms.
[*] 1 Skritarii Quill charm– 2
[*] 1 Strength of Vaz charm – 2
EQUIPMENT
(This is what your character has on their person at the very moment when they are pulled from their home dimension. Laptop? Firearm? Cigarettes and matches? Don't abuse this. They won't be clutching an entire bunker. You have 7 points total to spend on magical items. No single item can be more powerful that 4.)

List:
[*] HZ holo disguise – 3: A hard-light projector to create a disguise in various species, including a translator to languages known by the HZ.
[*] HZ Morrigan model laser pistol – 2: four setting (Stun to Overcharged) laser weapon. Etzic picked this up while helping on the LC mission.

BACKGROUND
(Be detailed please. You must explain how your character acquired their skills, talents, abilities, and special items. Wrap your primary objectives and goals into it.)

Education or Training: Skritarii basic education, basic medical training, introductory shamanistic training for his religion.

Character Background/Biography: (Please write this in first person. Have your character tell us their history, their sorrows, their triumphs, etc. Be as detailed as possible.)

You wish to know about I, Etzic? Strange, most non-skritar care naught for my people. Might as well, then…

Like most skritarii, I was born in a Warren, a type of space station our people make out of asteroids and other minor rocky celestial bodies. The rocks are strung together with engineering and metal and the wards of shamans to create habitats for us to reside in. The warren I was born to, Austan-ka, was one of the oldest warrens of our race, and far from our homeworld of Adarlea.

Before many of the newer nations were even taking their first steps in spaceflight our clans spread to the stars. We spread, settled across this arm of the galaxy but never claimed worlds in the name of empire. Adarlea was all we needed, but the stars still called for us. Warrens was our medium. The resources we needed, without needing to spoil other worlds. Of course, some skritarii settle on planets temporarily, but our cities are mostly in the starways now. Even Adarlea is largely left to its pristine state, save for the pilgrimages and the older cities.

Austan-ka was an old warren. One of the first and largest, with a population in the hundreds of millions. A whole network of asteroids woven together with rock and iron and concrete, practically making a planetoid of its own, within the asteroid belt of the Tzenc binary star system. Like most warrens, Austan-Ka was mostly self-sufficient. Adarlea is a rocky and arid world, and mostly desert. Skritarii learned long ago how to turn barren rock into fertile lands, and technology only helped our efforts in the stars. With gravitational fields and atmosphere, Austan-ka was an engineering marvel and a wonder of Orion, the human name for this part of the galactic disc.

I was born to the Whiskerbrew(Vahasa) clan, one of quite a sizable family. While skritarii may be rodent-like we only have one child at a time, save the occasional twins or more. The Vahasa kawa, our guardian spirit, is one of fertility and protection so it is encouraged to have many, many children. My clan has always been considered one of the most gregarious and adventurous clans of Adarlea, and Austan-ka was our creation. As it grew, other clans settled in nearby asteroids and efforts were made to link them up into a singular entity. Hundreds of years later, Austan-ka became the single largest settlement of skritarii outside of Adarlea.

Austan-ka was honestly a wonderful place to grow up. Even as a pup, running along the bridges between the asteroids of Austan-ka and visiting the other clans of Skritarii always was invigorating. While I was always curious about other cultures, skritarii are rarely accepted outside of our own little pockets of settlement and the roaming fleets so I never got to explore very far. Instead I explored Austan-ka, familiarizing myself with every bit of it. I was blessed to be living in such a wondrous satellite and wanted to see as much of it as I could.

As I entered my tenth year, I decided to become apprentice to one of the doctors of our clan to help keep our people healthy and safe. A noble profession of course. Only our shamans are considered more respectable and vital to the community. Our medical knowledge is a mix of modernity and proven ancient methods both of which the kawa, our ancestors and gods, support. The kawa ultimately had different plans for my life, it seemed.

It was two years into the medical training that I realized I was blessed in other ways than just living in a wondrous location. Most Skritarii have more brown or yellow eye-color, but a genetic quirk lead to the color shifting to what it is now as I aged. The white fur patches developed at the same time, starting from my left-side extremities and eye. The same quirks were commonly found among those destined to be shaman, so my path of becoming a medic was interrupted. I was pushed to become a shaman, to learn our culture and history and magic. The signs of changing fur and eye color meant I was touched by the kawa, and possessed a connection to the Otherworld and its power. The Otherworld leaks into our own through places of power and certain individuals, in the form of an energy we skritarii call whisps. It interacts with my people in a unique way, as I later discovered, causing the physical changes as our natural connection to the Otherworld deepens. The eldest shamans become pure white, and practically glow with energy!

The first few years of training is always about our history and culture, so my education was no different. While most of our people know the spirits well, the workings of the shaman are shrouded in mystery. They are chosen by the kawa and they desire for us shamans to be the protectors of their secrets and powers. The nature of their realm, the Otherworld, and their influence on the skritarii. All secret knowledge I was taught, and will pass on to the newer generations of shaman when I could. The dozen other skritarii from Austen-Ka training to be shamans at the same time would eventually do the same.

In my 18th year, the magical aspects of my education began. The knowledge shamans were not just the culture, history, and religion of pour people, but in the especially secret knowledge of the kawa, that of crafting magic into charms. The charms, made of our own quills and materials native to Adarlea, are imbued with the whisps of the kawa’s power to give us a fraction of their abilities. Long ago, Vaz himself gifted the Whiskerbrew clan with the knowledge of his own strength in the form of a charm. This ancient magic is the first one we learn.

Given the shamans of the skritarii are sworn to never maliciously use our powers lest the blessings of the kawa be recinded, our charms are only defensive. Such is the Skritarii Quills charm, one developed in antiquity counter any attacks. This was the second I learned. I was to learn more, but my education was sadly cut short.

Austen-Ka happened to be between two newer powers. Lykos and the Huv-zaani. Largely nomadic races like us Skritarii are rarely fully accepted by terrestrial bound ones. So many nasty stereotypes form. Pirates, thieves, shifty, or just plain savage. Of course, there are a few of our number who follow different ancestral kawa that enable these ideas, but most skritarii just want to live in peace and explore the stars. The Huv-Zaani were fine leaving us to our enclaves and territories, but of course Lykos was not.

A short time before I encountered Venlah and her mission, Lykos sent one of her fleets to Austen-Ka. The ancient warren was reduced to dust within the day. While it is lucky for our people that we have early warning systems in place of incursion, and such a large fleet was easy to see traveling through the Otherworld, the work of generations was torn asunder to flush us from the border region of their space. Millions perished but we escaped.
Many of us fled for Huv-zaani space or to find newer warrensites. The Whiskerbrew clan was shattered, though. The part of us I fled with stumbled upon a nearby Huv-zaani outpost observing some tribal planet. After a bit of time trying to negotiate for safe passage the Huv-zaani fired upon us and forced us to fight. The fleet was out of fuel. We had nowhere else to go and had to take the moon-station to survive.

Of course, it should be obvious that we failed. I was one of the few survivors of the monster that they unleashed on us… By accident I have been told. I do not blame the witch who created the beast. It was obviously some sort of creature summoned and set loose. But it still slaughtered my teacher and cut us off from finding a new home. On top of that I found myself trapped with some strange humans and a huv-zaani in the shuttle I hid in.

I was made to join them on this quest to ‘save the Xo’ or whatever bunkum the idealistic huv-zaan wants us to do. The Huv-zaani have always been paternalistic. They believe they know the best of most species. Though they do not slaughter like Lykos. Venlah may be able to spread word the Skritarii are under attack by Lykosian fleets, and get the Huv-zaani to ‘take us under their protection’ as they are oh so happy to do. It is insulting, but could help protect us from Lykosian aggression.

Until then, I might as well help these insects with the group we have. Then maybe actually have the chance to relax, after these months of chaos.

OTHER GAME MECHANICS
URL to Apartment Picture and description: [url]LINK TO IMAGE[/url] rustic scifi

Link to RP examples: (this MUST be a DIRECT LINK to your IC post in an RP, NOT a link to the RP thread itself. If you don't have examples, make your biography good.)


IMPORTANT FINAL STEP:
One paragraph that sums up your character. This paragraph is what we'll use on your player tab on the first page of the thread. This MUST be brief. Your tab will contain a link to your application so people will have full details.
The nickname you go by on NS: Lykos
Character Name: Etzic Vkayl
Character Image Link: [url]LINK TO IMAGE[/url]
A porcupine alien from a nomadic culture typified by mysticism and family ties. Etzic was training to be the next shaman for his clan before its destruction, and subsequently was caught up in a mission staged by Demen’s Chosen. Given he had nothing to truly go back home to, he signed on to join the mission and the Chosen.

Approved.

Now you'll have to wait until I have time to add it to the Grimore.

Added him to the roster, tho. He'll be in apartment 4A.

Finally, no more hostages!

HWE, you're all finally free. I'll probably post a small epilogue, but you can all do as you please now.

Can I send my character back there? I was enjoying the setting.

[Giovenith]

Finally, no more hostages!

HWE, you're all finally free. I'll probably post a small epilogue, but you can all do as you please now.

Can I send my character back there? I was enjoying the setting.

Sure sure.

[Cerillium]

Not right away, obviously. You probably want a break. Tomorrow. Yeah.


No PLosts from me tonight. Apologies, all. I'll need to be up before dawn tomorrow.

[Swith Witherward]

I'm going to try to catch up with Cer's posts, as the rest of his week looks like shit.

And we're caught up. I've tied together the endings for Pre-Equestrial and Booze-Run, established Rache's split, and got the ball rolling for Booze-Run II. As our players are already aware of the changes, we'll handwavium the "Demens reorganizing" and say that it happened quickly behind the scenes. Everyone should now have uniforms (which protect you during missions!) and pagers. We'll also say that their tech (mobile phones, laptops, whatever) is now patched into the Building's tech.

You all have until Friday to get your characters to the Lobby. Cer will most likely post on Saturday after he's slept off the trip to Columbus.